The Banished
by WinglessDemon
Summary: The events of "Castlvania: Symphony of the Night" have passed but Alucard's nightmare continues. WIP. Alucard x Richter Belmont, vampirism, MM, Lemon, Angst, Yaoi
1. The Banished - Chapter I

**The Banished **Alucard x Richter Belmont

Chapter I

By Wingless Demon

**Boring legal stuff etc:**

Castlevania and its characters are property of Konami games. I did not create any of the main characters in this fiction and therefore make no claims of ownership. This fiction was written solely for my enjoyment and in no way reflects the actual storyline of the Castlevania series or the true personalities of the characters. And last but not least, I do not, in any way, make any money from this fic!

This fic contains **YAOI**. If you DO NOT know what **YAOI** means then DO NOT read this fic!

Cover Artwork created by Lara Yokoshima

**NOTES**

Sources: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse

"Trevor Belmont" from Castlevania 3 is known as "Ralph C. Belmont" in the JP version of Castlevania 3.

Thoughts are written in _ITALICS_

* * *

Fog began to drift through the ruins of Castlevania as night crept across the highlands. Although the forbidden fortress of the evil count no longer stood in the clearing, the site remained a place where no human dared to venture.

It had been nearly two years since he had confronted his father and foiled the evil wizard Shaft's plan, and Alucard had intended to resume his rest within the ruins indefinitely.

But tonight he had been lured out of his sleep; something was different about the night air. He could sense something, or rather someone, lurking very near.

Alucard inhaled the unusually humid night air through his nostrils, relying on his keen sense of smell to pinpoint the exact location of this trespasser. Within moments, the scent of fresh human blood, full of warmth and life struck at his senses.

His needle-sharp fangs pricked at his lower lip with anticipation as he silently looked around the crumbling ruins. _A male…_

"Who would dare wander here?" He whispered to himself, "What possible purpose would it serve?"

In the distance, a cloaked figure stood motionless, somewhat concealed within the soup of fog near the edge of the ruins. The unknown intruder silently looked over the crumbled stone that had once been part of the dark fortress.

Alucard, having not caught the scent of fresh blood for weeks, was finding it more and more difficult to restrain himself. "This fool would leave if he knew a vampire slept within these ruins!" he whispered_, _"I will simply make myself known and he will undoubtedly flee."

It was not the best plan, but it was all Alucard could think of the save the human from his hunger. It would have to suffice.

"Be gone!" the dhampire cursed loudly as he approached the cloaked man, "And never again approach these ruins!"

The cloaked figure looked up, startled by the aggressive voice of the half-blood. A dark silhouette, crowned with a curtain of pale blonde, almost white hair quickly emerged from the fog.

"Did you not hear me?" he tried again when the man did not retreat, "Leave now or you will most certainly die!"

Alucard stalked closer to the man, thinking that he would flee once he made himself completely visible, but when he saw a small area of uncovered flesh beneath the human's hood, all his previous concerns suddenly became secondary to tasting what was no doubt beneath the exposed skin.

His golden eyes quickly widened as he bared his fangs in preparation to maul this foolish intruder.

Without warning, the hooded figure reacted to the approaching vampire, and quickly discarded his cloak straight into Alucard's face, temporarily blinding the half-blood.

The hindrance was quickly removed however, and Alucard's restraint soon returned in full force when his eyes fell on the now unconcealed face of the trespasser.

"Richter…Belmont…" he said with a slightly puzzled look "what… are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same thing," the vampire hunter answered as he lowered his arms from their defensive position, "why are you here Alucard?"

"That is of little concern," the dhampire responded plainly, "it should be obvious to a Belmont."

"Of course," Richter agreed pushing aside a lock of his long, brown hair from his face, "you probably decided that no human in the right mind would ever wander near this place. Why, the history of your father's castle alone should undoubtedly discourage anyone from approaching these ruins."

"Very observant," Alucard agreed, giving a quick nod, "now… as for your purpose here?"

The hunter's blue eyes narrowed slightly when he spoke. "It is not a secret… that my ancestors had, much like myself, supernatural abilities. Whenever a vampire or another creature of dark nature is nearby, we become restless and uneasy. In the past this sense has been used to track and exterminate… your kind."

The half-blood raised a pale eyebrow curiously; "you are here to 'exterminate' me then?"

"Ha," Richter allowed himself to laugh slightly, "no. I know you have no evil intentions. But for the past several months I have been very agitated and uneasy. I could always sense something… someone nearby. I thought that it might have been you, but I did not know for sure."

Alucard studied the hunter in front of him carefully. _The resemblance that he bears to the Belmont I fought alongside long ago… It is uncanny. He is every bit as…_

The dhampire shook his head slightly, dismissing his thoughts of Richter's distant predecessor before they could actually surface. "I see. But I sense that there is something else on your mind… It is rather obvious in your expression."

The vampire hunter frowned; somewhat discouraged that Alucard was able to read him so easily. "Unfortunately," he replied, "it is also not a secret that people feared my ancestors because of their unnatural abilities. Now that Castlevania has vanished and things are beginning to return to normal, I have begun to feel the traditional distaste from those that I have saved."

"That comes with the Belmont name," Alucard said hesitantly, "your ancestor… Trevor spoke of this to me once. Did you not expect it?"

Richter's eyes moved to stare at the ground when he heard the dhampire's words. "This is different Alucard," he answered softly; "no one knew that Trevor had befriended a vampire in his quest, but after my last trip to the castle, our cooperative efforts became common knowledge."

The hunter paused for a moment, his eyes meeting with Alucard's, "Some of them think I am still under a dark spell, and have publicly suggested that I leave the country."

Alucard looked a Richter curiously, raising an eyebrow as he contemplated the Belmont's words. To his own surprise, he sincerely wished that he could say something helpful to the hunter, but only a few words came to mind.

"Mortals fear what they do not understand," the dhampire said, "When you allied yourself with the son of Dracula, a half-vampire, to them you might as well have just sworn allegiance to hell itself."

Alucard stood in front of the renowned vampire hunter and stared directly into the blue depths of his eyes. "But at least," he began again, "you have a family, Richter. You do not have to spend your life alone. Think of that, and forget about those who loathe you."

Alucard gave the Belmont a slight nod and then stepped back to into the thick fog, vanishing from the hunter's sight. Richter was now left alone at the edge of the ruins to consider the dhampire's words.

* * *

A relentless wall of rain continued to assault the leaky stone roof of the small, round building at the edge of the forgotten graveyard.

Alucard sighed with disgust when he noticed more water seep into his new dwelling through several small cracks in the ancient stone ceiling. After only four days of attempting to resume his eternal slumber, his new lair had already become nearly uninhabitable.

He had considered going back to the ruins of Castlevania, but then soon decided against it, as his presence would undoubtedly continue to draw the attention of Richter Belmont from the nearby town.

The young Belmont had shown no fear and had even sought Alucard's advice just before the dhampire had decided to abandon the castle ruins.

"Richter…" the half-blood said softly, "what makes you so different from the other mortals? Why am I becoming obsessive?"

The same power, fearlessness, and unusually friendly nature towards him had stirred strong emotions in Alucard when he fought alongside Trevor Belmont long ago.

He had forced himself to remain quiet and even appear somewhat cruel so that he would not miss the Belmont when they parted. Alucard had even gone so far as trying to fool himself that he had hated the hunter in an attempt to nullify the strong emotions that had awoken deep within him.

Unfortunately, the entire effort did little to ease his return to isolation and the forgotten pain of being alone. Alucard had hated himself even more after that, and often tortured himself by pondering what might have been for years after their quest had ended.

Finally he had managed to suppress his emotions entirely, or so he thought; the recent encounter with Richter had sparked an all too familiar reaction from the dhampire, and he found it more difficult to ignore it this time.

"_Mortals fear what they do not understand." _That is what he had told Richter before leaving him alone at the ruins_. You do not fear me Richter. Is that why I find you so alluring?_

Alucard slumped against the dusty wall at the back of the crypt and dropped down to sit on the floor. His large cape wrinkled and folded against the wall behind him and his long, pale hair concealed his face as well as the crimson tears that stained it.

* * *

Richter threw his backpack down onto the grass when he reached the small pond in the forest clearing. He had been traveling non-stop for nearly nine hours now, and was beginning to feel fatigued. "The only things I own that have any value are so few that they are easily stuffed into one small bag," he said softly as he neared the edge of the pond, "how sad."

The hunter looked down into the clear water, watching several small fish chase each other around, completely oblivious to his closeness. "Where do I go from here?"

Exhausted from his long walk, Richter dropped down to sit on the soft grass below. Now that the villagers had voiced their decision to exile him from the town, he really had no idea where he would go. Annette had turned her back on him, siding with the angry mob, not even offering a single word in Richter's defense.

He kicked off his boots and let his bare feet to sink into the unusually warm pond water. _How long has it been since I last bathed?_

* * *

Alucard emerged from the thick forest and stepped into a grassy clearing atop a large hill. The dhampire's usually unlimited patience was wearing thin as he had yet to discover an acceptable dwelling.

The longer that Alucard was kept from his sleep, the more his hunger grew. He knew that he would not be able to control his bloodlust for much longer.

A faint noise then stirred within the vampire's hypersensitive ears. He walked to the top of the high, grass-covered hill and looked over the dimly lit landscape in the distance. Alucard's eyes fell on a lone human figure standing in a small pond near the base of the hill.

His tongue instinctively pricked at the points of his small, sharp fangs as he watched the mortal move about in the water.

END OF CHAPTER 1


	2. Chapter 2

**The Banished **Alucard x Richter Belmont

Chapter II

By Wingless Demon

**Boring legal stuff etc:**

Castlevania and its characters are property of Konami games. I did not create any of the main characters in this fiction and therefore make no claims of ownership. This fiction was written solely for my enjoyment and in no way reflects the actual storyline of the Castlevania series or the true personalities of the characters. And last but not least, I do not, in any way, make any money from this fic!

This fic contains **YAOI**. If you DO NOT know what **YAOI** means then DO NOT read this fic!

Cover Artwork created by Lara Yokoshima

**NOTES**

Sources: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse

"Trevor Belmont" from Castlevania 3 is known as "Ralph C. Belmont" in the JP version of Castlevania 3.

Thoughts are written in _ITALICS_

* * *

Richter breathed a sigh of relief as the warm water crept just above his waist. The ache in his legs and back from traveling all day began to diminish as the water cleansed his naked body. He looked up into the orange, evening sky; watching as it slowly grew darker while the final hour of daylight progressed.

While he was uncertain where he was going, Richter knew that the ridiculous stories of him becoming an inhuman servant of darkness would spread quickly. It would likely be a great deal of time before he would be permitted to set foot in any nearby town again.

The hunter studied his surroundings as he relaxed; the high hills and forest, which surrounded the small body of water, were indeed sights to behold, but it was something else that had caught Richter's attention.

A mysterious, unnatural looking cloud was floating at the opposite side of the pond just several feet above the water. The small mass of fog and mist seemed to be shrinking in size but becoming thicker and less transparent.

The vampire hunter could immediately sense the presence of his natural enemy as the mass of fog began to materialize into a man-like form. He knelt down in the water, submerging all but the top of his head as he silently watched a figure begin to emerge from the remains of the mist.

Alucard stood still atop the surface of the water as the last of his foggy disguise dissipated behind him. After only a few moments, he spotted the human hiding beneath the water at the other side of the pond.

The dhampire's movements quickly turned into a blurred sprint as he headed towards his prey. He ran unhindered atop the surface of the water as if it were solid ground beneath his feet.

The quickly approaching creature was now fully recognizable to Richter, but the hunter's instincts urged him to defend himself nevertheless.

Alucard reached out, preparing to snatch the human hiding beneath the pond but was caught off guard when a large splash was thrown in his face.

Richter used that moment of vulnerability to leap from the water and tackle his attacker.

Both men crashed back into the pond with a thunderous splash as Richter pounced on the dhampire.

Alucard hissed with anger as he struggled with the naked human in the shallow pond. Thanks in part to his uncanny strength, he soon gained the upper hand and managed to throw the bold hunter clear out of the water and onto the shore.

Alucard quickly stumbled out of the pond, shaking his head rapidly in an effort to dry his soaked mess of long hair as he prepared to feed at long last.

Richter laid face down, helpless on the ground. He struggled, but managed to look up at vampire. Alucard's usually golden eyes were now a murky shade of gray and the normally small, concealed fangs were unhidden and prepared for use.

"Alucard!" Richter protested, "Stop! Please…"

"Richter?" the other man responded, his expression of bloodlust diminishing somewhat.

He froze, half shocked by the mortal's plea and by his own lack of self-control. His eyes returned to their usual golden shade and his fangs became less obvious as he looked down on Richter's battered, naked body. _What have I done?_

Angry with himself for falling victim to his own, dark instincts, Alucard quickly fled into the nearby woodland.

* * *

Richter stared blankly into the campfire as he swallowed the last of his soup. The struggle with Alucard that had occurred earlier that evening replayed in his mind. Somehow, he had been able to sense the conflict within the dhampire. He had felt Alucard's own self-hatred when he realized that he had given in to his dark instincts.

"A tortured human and a creature of the night sharing the same soul," Richter whispered softly as he settled into the sleeping space that he had prepared earlier.

The hunter rolled over onto his back to gaze up at the stars as he began planning for the next day. Once again however, he found his thoughts straying back to his battle with the dhampire. He pictured Alucard in his mind, emerging from the pond after he had tossed Richter on shore. That impossibly pale blond hair was drenched with water, and it stuck to parts of the dhampire's face. The elaborate clothes that Alucard wore were soaked and clung to the lithe body beneath them. He had then looked down at Richter; his small fangs bared and a predatory glare in his eyes.

A shiver ran down Richter's spine as he remembered the vampire's hungry, possessive glare. He had been lying naked and helpless on the ground, completely vulnerable to the half-blood. He found that whenever he looked back on that moment it gave him a strange, yet pleasant thrill.

Goosebumps crept across the vampire hunter's flesh as the scenario unfolded in his mind again, quickly drowning him in a daydream. Unbidden, Richter's quickly rid himself of his shirt. The hunter gasped softly as the night air came into contact with his exposed chest; he was starting to feel strangely hot all over.

Richter started to breathe heavily as evidence of his arousal began to stir between his legs. "Aaa… Alucard," he whispered under his heavy breath, "what… what have you done…to… me?"

* * *

Alucard watched the hunter from the shadow of the forest as he lay down to sleep. His golden eyes widened as Richter removed his shirt, exposing the powerful body to the vampire's eyes. He had seen the Belmont unclothed earlier, but his mind had been too preoccupied with bloodlust to truly appreciate the sight. The nearby campfire illuminated the hunter's smooth skin and impressive physique with a wondrous orange glow.

He had only intended to observe Richter for a few minutes, just to make sure that the hunter had truly escaped their earlier encounter unscathed. The dhampire soon learned however, that the more he watched the mortal, the harder it became to tear his eyes away.

He listened intently when Richter began to speak, his eyes still eagerly watching the hunter. "Aaa… Alucard," the hunter breathed.

After hesitating for a moment, Alucard finally summoned the willpower to force his eyes away. With his mind and heart heavy with guilt, he turned away from the oblivious human and slid back into the shadow of the forest.

* * *

Richter closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Within a few minutes he was able to rein in his hormones and keep his thoughts from wandering too far into forbidden territory. But even as the strange thrill that had fallen upon him gradually subsided he could not stop his mind from dwelling on thoughts of Alucard.

Despite his frustration, Richter did his best to focus on going to sleep.

* * *

The bright morning sun illuminated Alucard's golden eyes as he stared angrily at clear sky. Although the bright sphere would turn away a true vampire, Alucard's half-human heritage saved him from such things. He wanted to burn the images of Richter Belmont from his mind. He had hoped to blind himself by staring directly at the distant star so that he would never again be able to lay his eyes on the vampire hunter, but it was a futile effort.

"Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes," Alucard whispered, addressing himself by his true name, "You have sinned yet again. You have tainted the mind of one of the purest mortals."

The half-vampire eased his body down to sit on the ground and leaned his back against a nearby tree. The corpse of a small animal, which had been completely drained earlier that morning by the dhampire, lay lifeless in the dirt next to him. "If I remain awake," Alucard said softly, "the corpse at my feet next time may very well be that of a man."

The morning sunlight was indeed quite a sight, and it was a welcome change from the dark, dreary surroundings that Alucard had become used to. _I wonder…_ _have I ever slept unsheltered beneath the sun?_

* * *

Richter sliced through the mass of waist-high weeds with his dagger. The small blade made it easy for the vampire hunter to create a path as he traveled through the thick forest. He did not know exactly where he was going, but he felt compelled to venture into the woods. The forgotten forest itself seemed to beckon him, urging him to travel further within.

The thick woodland thinned out a bit as he emerged from the path of destroyed weeds and dead grass. Ancient trees stood everywhere in front of him, but they were spread far enough apart to allow the sunlight to illuminate the area. Richter speculated that he was now in the oldest portion of the forest. The massive size of the nearby trees suggested that they were at least several hundred years old. The hunter halted his steps suddenly, sensing something strange nearby.

"I sense," he whispered softly, "…death."

It only took Richter a few more steps before his premonitions were proven to be correct. Several small animal corpses littered the ground in front of him. Judging by the lack of decay, it appeared that the small creatures had been killed just recently.

The hunter made a quick visual scan of the area, finding a few more animal corpses but little else that interested him. His searching eyes then fell on something quite out of place; not far off in the distance, he could see what resembled a human figure sitting on the ground slouched against a large oak tree.

Richter stalked closer, his feet kicking dead leaves and dirt aside as he hurried to the side of the motionless figure. His instincts already told him what it was that he would find, but the sight itself still managed to surprise him.

Alucard remained still, appearing to be asleep and oblivious to Richter's presence. Richter stared with wonder at the dhampire on the ground below. That smooth, pale face was calm, and Alucard appeared to be at peace as he slept under the rays of the afternoon sunlight.

It was this first time Richter had ever encountered the dhampire in such revealing daylight, and he looked even more stunning to the hunter now than before. He decided that it would be best for him to leave the half-blood to his rest, but just before the hunter turned to walk away Alucard's pale eyelids snapped open.

For a brief moment, Richter noticed the half-human vampire's golden eyes widen a bit with surprise, but then his face quickly returned to its usual, unreadable expression. "Belmont…" Alucard said calmly, "what are you doing here?"

The dhampire breathed a soft sigh frustration when the human did not answer his question. _These chance meetings of ours are becoming rather difficult… especially after…_

Alucard forced his memories of the previous night away before they could actually surface. _Thinking about such things now will only complicate this…_

The hunter folded his arms over his chest and smirked as he spoke. "I am a vampire hunter."

The younger man then noticed Alucard frown; apparently dissatisfied with his answer.

"And now that you have hunted me down," Alucard replied, "do you intend to kill me?"

Richter's eyes studied the creature in front of him. _Indeed what will I do?_

Golden eyes stared back at the human curiously when he did not answer. "Belmont?" Alucard asked, "Did you not hear me?"

"Perhaps," Richter finally replied, "I have other reasons for hunting you."

The simple statement alarmed the vampire; the sinful images that the suggestion provoked came to Alucard's mind a little too easily.

"I have been thinking about things Alucard," the hunter explained somewhat hesitantly, "thinking about things that I would have considered sinful in the past, but I cannot help it. My stay in that castle has apparently affected me in ways that I was not even aware of until recently."

A look of guilt marked the dhampire's face. "Tell me Richter, what has forced you from your home?"

The hunter narrowed his eyes for a moment as he considered the question. "I was banished. The decision was made that I could not be trusted after my return from Castlevania."

"I am to blame for your expulsion." Alucard said softly.

Richter studied the vampire's unreadable face, truly perplexed by the pale man's last statement. "What?"

"Just my presence," the half-blood quickly explained, "is the entire reason that those close to you fear you."

Belmont shook his head with disapproval as he spoke, "that is nonsense, the very..."

"Do not be foolish Richter," Alucard interrupted, his voice growing louder as he spoke. "The only thing the people of our homeland fear more than me is my father! Do you not understand? You only jeopardize your own welfare by associating yourself with me!"

Richter tried respond, but was cut off by the vampire again before he could even utter a word. "Look around you, descendant of Belmont!" Alucard said darkly, "Do you not see the small corpses littering the ground? You are fortunate that you are not among them, especially considering our unfortunate meeting at the pond."

"You will not frighten me away as you did my predecessor," Richter said sternly. "Trevor described you in his journal perfectly as a conflicted man who was his own worst enemy."

The hunter paused as he tried to recall the writings of his ancestor, "A man who tries to scare off those that get too close," he continued, "for fear of how they may react to his true nature."

The dhampire's eyes went wide when Richter's recollection of Trevor's words reached his ears. His eyes met the human's with a sharp, golden stare.

"You cared about him a great deal didn't you?" Richter finally asked, breaking the silence.

Alucard quickly looked to the ground to hide his expression, even though he knew it was too late. "Despite my efforts, it seems that he saw through me. I thought that once we parted ways, I would forget…" the dhampire stopped in mid-sentence for a moment before starting again, "But it did not happen that way. The fact that he was not afraid or even skeptical of me..."

Richter looked at the creature before him, a bit unsure if he should even say anything at all. "He searched for you on occasion, even after the incident at the castle, but he obviously never found you."

Despite his best efforts to restrain it, a single red tear fell from Alucard's right eye and left a narrow, crimson streak on his pale face.

Richter risked extending his arm to place a hand on the half-blood's shoulder and quickly breathed a sigh of relief when Alucard did not pull away from him for doing so. "You are not the reason I was banished Alucard, Shaft is to blame as he was the one controlling me. The people are just too blinded by religious tales and fear to realize that even though you are a vampire, your actions were in their best interest."

Alucard slowly looked up at the Belmont, no longer bothering to mask his emotions from the hunter. "I understand their reaction Richter," The dhampire whispered, "after all part of me is human… the best part."

The vampire hunter had a response ready, but before it could fall from his lips Alucard leaned forward to rest his forehead on the human's shoulder as another red tear fell from his eyes. Richter remained silent, and simply moved his hand to the back of half-blood's head, hoping that it would help comfort him and make the situation feel less awkward to the both of them.

END OF CHAPTER II


	3. Chapter 3

**The Banished **Alucard x Richter Belmont

Chapter III

By Wingless Demon

**Boring legal stuff etc:**

Castlevania and its characters are property of Konami games. I did not create any of the main characters in this fiction and therefore make no claims of ownership. This fiction was written solely for my enjoyment and in no way reflects the actual storyline of the Castlevania series or the true personalities of the characters. And last but not least, I do not, in any way, make any money from this fic!

This fic contains **YAOI**. If you DO NOT know what **YAOI** means then DO NOT read this fic!

Cover Artwork created by Lara Yokoshima

**Warning:** Strong homosexual content!

**NOTES**

Sources: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse

"Trevor Belmont" from Castlevania 3 is known as "Ralph C. Belmont" in the JP version of Castlevania 3.

Thoughts are written in _ITALICS_

* * *

The sun slowly began to rise, bringing the sounds of forest birds and other animals with it as a peeked over the hills. Alucard stared at the human lying asleep on the ground at the other side of the fire pit. "Impressive mortal," he whispered, "why is it that one as young as you has this power over me, a creature over four centuries old?"

He walked across the extinguished fire pit to stand near the sleeping human, taking great care not to make a sound. The dhampire's golden eyes swept over every visible detail of Richter's sleeping form, forever imprinting the image into his mind. _Time will treat you far differently than me Richter, and eventually it will destroy you. It is a painful reality that I must accept…_

* * *

"You know these woods well," Richter said when the dhampire did not volunteer a reason for his unexpected visit, "is there anything I should be aware of?"

The vampire shook his head, dismissing the hunter's concerns without a second thought. "I doubt that there is anything in these woods that you cannot handle."

Alucard paused for a moment, debating whether or not he should mention an idea that had just occurred to him. "There is a place however," he finally said, "that is known to very few that you may find worth visiting."

* * *

Richter followed Alucard from behind, doing his best to keep up with the swift vampire. He was becoming winded and his leg muscles burned with fatigue. But he reasoned that the effort would be worth it, even if he only managed to slightly impress the half-blood.

Alucard turned his head for a moment to make sure the human had not fallen too far behind. To his surprise Richter had actually managed to gain on him, and showed no sign of slowing. _His physical abilities alone are more than enough evidence to call his humanity into question… I must stop underestimating him._

The two men finally stopped when they arrived at a small clearing in the forest. "We are nearly there," Alucard said as they emerged from the woods.

Richter followed the dhampire into the small, grassy clearing before stopping to catch his breath. Aside from the large, out of place boulder sitting in the center of the small square meadow, it was a rather unremarkable area. "I… I am relieved," he wheezed, "I don't know how… much farther I could have gone."

The pale man shook his head slightly as he listened to Richter's frantic breathing. "I would have slowed my pace, or stopped at your request if you needed to rest."

The vampire's voice went silent however, when his eyes fell on the exhausted mortal. Parts of Richter's sweat soaked, long brown hair clung to his flushed face as he struggled to catch his breath. The sight reminded the dhampire of what Richter had looked like only a few nights ago during their unfortunate confrontation at the pond.

Alucard closed his eyes for a moment, forcing the image out of his mind. "That is," he began again, "I could have gone much faster."

"But regardless," the dhampire continued, "we have arrived."

Richter looked around the small clearing with a puzzled look on his face. "Where are we?"

Alucard remained silent, and walked up to the large boulder sitting at the center of the clearing. He removed one of his gloves and touched the granite surface of the stone with his bare fingertips. The huge boulder seemed to respond to his touch, and was quickly pushed aside by powerful magic to reveal a hidden stairway.

Richter stared at the hidden passageway with wonder while he pondered the purpose of the hidden chamber beneath the ancient forest.

"What is this place?" he asked as he walked to Alucard's side.

The dhampire motioned for the hunter to follow him as he descended into the dark underground room. "A sorcerer once used this chamber to hide many of his most prized texts and valuables," he explained as they walked down the old stone steps. "There was nothing of value left when I found it however."

As if sensing the presence of the two men at the bottom of the stairway, several candles mounted on the ancient stone walls flickered to life to illuminate the room.

Piles of golden coins, gemstones, and many ancient weapons became visible when the room was lit. The forgotten riches were scattered across the small chamber, appearing to have been carelessly discarded onto the dusty floor. "I thought you said there was nothing of value left when you found this place?"

Alucard shrugged; he was truly more interested in Richter's reaction than the grand display of treasure. "It was empty when I found it," he explained, "all of these items were taken from Castlevania and brought here by me. It was necessary to stockpile many of them after Death robbed me of my own equipment."

The mention of the Grim Reaper's true name made Belmont shiver. His own encounter with the shrouded demon was not something he wished to recall.

Richter reached down into the small pile of trinkets at his feet. He picked up a small, glass bottle and held it up curiously to study it. The clear liquid inside seemed to glow softly when he held in the palm of his hand. It was an item he was quite familiar with, for he had once carried it.

"Forgive me if I am mistaken," the hunter said as he turned to the vampire behind him, "but I am certain that this was mine. I carried several of these bottles during my journey through the castle."

"Correct," Alucard replied calmly, "it is yours. Before I was able to break Shaft's enchantment over you, you threw that at me. Fortunately however, I was able to catch it before it shattered."

Suppressed, nearly forgotten memories of their violent battle at the castle then returned to Richter's mind in graphic detail. The memories seemed to momentarily overtake reality, and the hunter became completely oblivious to everything else. The small bottle of holy water fell through his fingertips as the images overwhelmed him.

The glass bottle shattered when it hit the ground and the enchanted liquid inside exploded into hot, blue flames. The room quaked violently at the sound, and both men turned their heads and watched on helplessly as large chunks of earth and stone tumbled onto the small stairway, quickly sealing off the room's only exit.

Alucard sprinted towards the collapsing passage, reaching the blocked exit as the last of the debris fell. When the wall of earth and stone settled, it effectively blocked every trace of sunlight from above. "It appears we are now trapped here."

Richter ran to the other man's side, a look of guilt marking his face. "Can't you teleport through it?"

"I just tried," the dhampire answered grimly, "It appears that the sorcerer who constructed this chamber enchanted it; Most likely to prevent thieving mages from entering or leaving this vault by magical means."

"I see…" the hunter said with a look of defeat. "It is my fault; I do not know what came over me and caused me to drop that bottle."

Alucard shook his head, dismissing Richter's suggestion as soon as he heard it. "You are not at fault. It should not take us too long to dig ourselves out of here. We best get started."

The vampire hunter nodded in agreement and the two of them got to work.

* * *

Nearly two hours had passed, and they had made much progress in tunneling through the collapsed passage. Richter sighed, exhausted from the effort of digging through the sand and stone. He paused to observe the pale man next to him who showed no signs of slowing.

The dhampire was completely immersed in his task, working quickly and tirelessly to escape from the underground room. Although his magical powers were useless under the ancient enchantment, his near superhuman speed, strength, and stamina were not affected by it.

"I fear," Richter wheezed tiredly, "that I must rest." He walked to the other side of the small room and sat down on the floor next to his discarded coat. His white shirt had become soaked with sweat and was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. He pulled the damp garment over his head and sighed with relief when his body was free of it.

Alucard's movements ceased when the strong scent of human sweat tingled in his nostrils. The odor overpowered him for a moment, making him feel a bit dizzy. He stumbled, but quickly regained his footing. The dhampire could feel sweat beginning to ooze out of his pores. His golden eyes widened with surprise; this was not something that he was used to. It had been too long since he last fed, and his control over his nocturnal instincts was beginning to slip away again. _But… it has never been like this. This is different…_

"Alucard," Richter called out when he noticed the vampire falter, "are you feeling unwell?"

The half-blood brought one his gloved hands to his face and discretely wiped away the sweat from his brow. His body still rebelled against his wishes however, and he began to feel sudden warmth spreading through his veins.

"Perhaps," he finally conceded, "it would be best if I rested for a moment as well."

He tossed his large cape and elaborate black coat aside, hoping that it would help to cool him.

Richter eyed the other man cautiously. He could sense something was different about the creature at his side, but he still did not feel threatened.

"You cannot hide the obvious," Richter stated "I can tell that something is not quite right with you at the moment."

Alucard only offered a nod in response to Richter's concern and did his best to relax. The only explanation to what he was experiencing he could come up with was that he had not fed recently and that he was becoming rather agitated by his current predicament.

"We must escape from this place soon," he said softly, forcing himself to meet the hunter's gaze, "for my sake… and yours."

Richter stood up, and slowly took a step back when he noticed the dhampire's eyes. Alucard's face was covered in sweat and his golden eyes had once again turned murky and gray. He understood all too well what was wrong with his traveling companion now, and he knew that there was only one thing that could quench Alucard's thirst.

"I can sense your fear, Richter" Alucard said, his voice weak and uneasy, "and you are right to be afraid."

The vampire hunter stepped away from the struggling creature until his bare back came into contact with the wall behind him.

Alucard's hands trembled as he moved them to cover his face. "If you cannot find a way out of here, Belmont, then you must destroy me. Do you understand?"

Richter quickly nodded and began to desperately search the room for any sign of a possible exit. When he turned around to face Alucard once again however, he stumbled over something on the floor. The hunter looked down and saw his silver dagger lying near his feet.

Now guided by little more than his instincts, Richter reached down and retrieved the small weapon from the floor.

"It is… unfortunate," Alucard struggled to ask when he noticed Richter approaching him with the weapon, "But…" Alucard lost his words as he watched the hunter drag the sharp edge of the silver blade across his own bare chest just below his Adam's apple.

Alucard's eyes were transfixed to the fresh new, open cut on Belmont's chest. "No!" he cursed, his body trembling as he fought to control his instincts, "I… I cannot!"

Richter stepped forward, swallowing his own fear as he approached the dhampire. "There is," he whispered softly, "…no other way."

The overpowering smell of the human's blood teased him with the sweet scent of the one thing that could quench his deep thirst. His trembling hands reached for the willing mortal in front of him as his nocturnal hunger and animalistic instincts finally prevailed.

Belmont tensed as Alucard's gloved hands seized his bare shoulders. He had not realized the extent of the transformation in both the vampire's appearance and his behavior until now. Alucard wasted very little time in lunging forward to bring his lips to Richter's self-inflicted wound.

The vampire hunter stumbled and landed on the floor, completely caught off guard by the dhampire's sudden advance. Alucard followed him down, straddling his legs as he became oblivious to everything except the crimson liquid beneath his lips. His small fangs clamped down onto the smooth flesh, causing the mortal below him to shudder. The vampire quickly rid himself of his gloves and brought his bare hands to Belmont's exposed shoulders.

"Ah," Richter gasped softly at the feeling of those soft, cool fingers on his skin. He stared at the creature feasting on his blood with half closed eyes, his mind quickly becoming numb to everything else around him. Even though he had occasionally wondered what it felt like drained by a vampire, Richter now realized that he was unprepared for the experience. The sudden rush of heat through his veins was very pleasant to say the least, and left him in state of euphoria even as the life was literally being sucked out of him.

Alucard's thirst deepened as he fed on the Belmont; it would take more than mere blood from the hunter to satisfy him now. His fingernails marked a path of small cuts and scrapes as he slid his hands down Richter's body.

The hunter trembled when the vampire finally withdrew from the cut on his chest.

"Wh… what," he struggled to ask when he felt those cold hands on his bare abdomen, "what are you doing?!"

But the half-blood ignored the mortal's concerns. The vampire hunter's blood had ignited a hunger within him far beyond simple bloodlust, and not even his ever-persistent guilty conscience gave him pause now.

Richter reached out in a desperate attempt to push him away, but Alucard would not allow it; he seized the younger man's wrists and pushed the limbs to the floor beneath them.

Belmont's breath stopped when he looked upon the face that was now just inches away from his own. He could see traces of his own blood still dripping from the dhampire's lips.

Much like an animal, Alucard now relied on instinct alone to extinguish the fire that burned in his veins. Somewhere, deep in the back of his mind, he knew what he was doing was wrong. The dhampire knew that he would forever regret what was taking place, but he could no longer stop himself. He then closed the small gap that remained between them and sealed his lips to Richter's.

Alucard poured his emotion into the kiss, eating at the hunter's lips with desperation as he impatiently searched for an answer within himself. He released his grip on Belmont's wrists and used one of his hands to pry the mortal's jaw open.

A soft whimper escaped Richter's throat as vampire's tongue plundered his mouth. Alucard's lips were far warmer than his cool exterior, and Richter could taste a hint of his own blood on them. Despite his best efforts his body soon betrayed him as it was unable to resist the half-blood's touch.

Alucard finally withdrew from the hunter's mouth. A feral smile stretched his lips as he watched the flushed, breathless man below him. The taste of Richter's blood had been to his liking, and kissing the mortal warrior had brought him a pleasure that he had nearly forgotten. But it was still not enough; he needed more… much more.

"You are willing to offer your blood, Richter," Alucard breathed, "but as you can see, that is not enough..."

Richter's eyes widened at the thought; the heated kiss they had just shared made it all too obvious what Alucard thirsted for. He would do anything for the one that had rescued him from Castlevania; it was a debt which he felt could never be repaid in full.

Alucard moved his hands down to the hunter's belt and began to unfasten it. He growled impatiently as he pulled away the stubborn strap of leather and tossed it aside.

"Anything," the human breathed, "whether it is my blood… or otherwise."

Belmont raised his legs to help the half-blood slide the simple trousers off of his body. A soft blush colored his cheeks as he watched Alucard's eyes roam hungrily over his naked frame. His breath quickened when those cold hands returned to his face, only this time he welcomed the touch.

This time it was Richter who brought their lips together. He wound his arms around Alucard's neck, pulling the vampire's body closer to his own. The pale man kissed him with the same impatient urgency as before, nearly bruising their lips.

"Ahh…" the hunter broke the kiss, whimpering as one of Alucard's legs brushed against his manhood. It had been a long time since he had been touched in such and intimate manner and now Richter could not help but become lost in to moment. He grabbed tightly at the folds of the dhampire's shirt, hoping that he would be allowed to remove the unwanted barrier.

Alucard paused, letting the mortal pull the white fabric over his head. He growled softly at the feel of Richter's warm hands on his skin. After decades of isolation he had forgotten just how stimulating the simple touch of another could be. The vampire's patience had run out long ago however, and the promise of what was yet to come only intensified the fire within him.

Belmont shuddered, afraid to move when one of the half-blood's hands grabbed him by the hair. Alucard pulled his head back by the long tresses, exposing the curve of Richter's neck.

"Alucard!" the hunter cried out when he felt the dhampire nipping at the soft flesh over his throat. Even though the vampire was not biting him nearly hard enough to puncture the skin, just the feel of those teeth made him feel vulnerable and strangely wanton.

"Yes… Richter," Alucard growled, "just like that; let me hear my name fall from your lips again…"

The human warrior nearly choked when he felt a cool hand move below his tight stomach near the center of his need. He moaned loudly as the other man's cool fingers closed around his now erect penis. "Aaa… Alucard!"

Belmont's reaction was just what the older man had hoped for. The fact that the mortal was willing made it impossible for him to hold back any longer. He released his gentle grip from Richter's swollen length and moved his hand to the button on his pants. The hunter tried to sit up, but he would not allow it. With little more than a flick of his arm he pushed the human back onto the floor.

Richter's eyes widened as the half-blood stood up and removed his boots and pants. His jaw dropped as his took in the sight of Alucard's lithe body; the vampire's flesh was smooth and unmarred, with no trace of body hair or scars. The somewhat slender frame was misleading, for Belmont knew that Alucard's physical strength was many times that of a human. His gaze traveled lower, eventually falling on the dhampire's manhood which stood straight and fully erect between his pale legs.

Alucard returned to the floor and draped his body over Richter's once again. The hunter squirmed below him, trying to get comfortable and inadvertently causing their erections to meet and brush against each other. Both men hissed loudly, each caught off guard by the sudden, pleasant touch.

A shiver ran down Belmont's spine as Alucard rose to his knees and stared down at him with wide, hungry eyes. The half-blood moved over to kneel beside him and brought a finger to rest on the hunter's lips. Richter remained still, unsure of what the other man was planning next. He whimpered softly when he felt those cold hands move to his inner thighs and slowly work their way down to his ankles.

Alucard lifted the hunter's legs and repositioned himself behind the human. He draped Richter's knees over his shoulders and moved his hands down to grip the younger man's hips.

The sound of the mortal's short, hurried breaths filled the room as Alucard leaned forward and positioned his head of his penis near the virginal opening.

Belmont's body tensed when he felt the tip of Alucard's length touching the puckered flesh of his entrance. His hands clawed nervously at the floor beneath him as he tried his best to relax. Even though he had never had sex with another man before, he knew what to expect and he knew that it would not be easy for him.

"Gahhh!" Richter winced, tears stinging the corners of his eyes when the dhampire began to press into him. His cry grew louder, echoing loudly throughout the room as the other man entered him.

Alucard gripped Belmont's hips tightly and pulled the mortal's body towards his own as he pressed into the tight heat. Richter's warmth constricted around him, tempting him to bury himself fully within the moist cavern.

The younger man sobbed quietly as he tried to adjust to the unfamiliar sensation of being stuffed. None of his past experience in sex or love could have possibly prepared him for this. He could feel Alucard's hardness throbbing inside of him, touching previously unexplored depths of his body.

"Uhnn," the vampire grunted loudly as he slowly pulled out of the hunter. The feeling of the human's heat around him had shattered even his highest expectations. No blood he had ever tasted, no matter how pure, could ever compare to this. He jolted his hips forward, pressing himself back into Belmont harder and deeper than before.

Richter cried, his body oozing with sweat and sexual excitement. Although he was quite sore from being suddenly penetrated by the vampire, there was still a definite pleasure mixed with the pain. His cry became trapped in his throat, as Alucard's arousal kissed something within him that made his body shiver in delight.

The half-blood licked his lips while reveling in the sound of the other man's hurried moans. He pressed into Richter again and was immediately rewarded by another loud cry from the mortal.

"Hhnnnnn!" Belmont whined helplessly as Alucard moved against him. He bit into his fist, trying to quiet himself as the dhampire began to drive into him repeatedly.

Alucard tightened his grip on the other man's hips, his fingernails nearly breaking the smooth skin. He scraped his tongue over the points of his fangs as the delicious friction on his cock intensified. Even if he survived until the end of time, Alucard began to doubt that he would ever grow bored with the sinful act he has was now taking part in. Somewhere in the back of his mind however, he knew that it was unlikely he would ever desire it with anyone else.

Richter thrashed about wildly on the floor. His throbbing length slapped against his stomach every time Alucard jolted into him, and his cries grew louder with each savage thrust.

Alucard leaned forward even further, forcing the hunter's lower back and buttocks to arc off of the floor. He then drove down harder into the mortal's warm cavity, burying his entire length inside of the blissful heat. He threw his head back, tossing aside the strands of his long, sweat-soaked hair from his face. The dhampire knew that it would not be long before he would finally extinguish the fire burning in his loins.

"Aa… Alucard," Richter whimpered, the name of his new lover falling from his lips like a desperate plea. Nothing in his life compared to what he was feeling now, not even his relationship with Annette. Belmont did not want it to end, and yet at the same time he craved the promise of momentary bliss that his release would bring.

The half-blood accelerated the pace even more, rolling his hips at a hectic pace and pushing himself into Belmont with short, rapid movements. The pleasure quickly escalated, and Alucard could feel the inevitable fast approaching.

"Richter!" He shouted out in an inhuman voice, his cry echoing throughout the room like a demon in pain. Alucard churned his hips forward one final time, plunging himself as deep into the human as he could. He scraped his fingernails across the planes of Richter's chest and trembled as he came.

Belmont's body went rigid; his muscles tightening as he realized what had just happened. "Haaaa! Gods!" A long, drawn out moan left his throat when he felt Alucard's essence splashing inside of him.

Tears escaped from the corners of Richter's eyes as his own climax suddenly rocked his body. He looked down, his face flushing as he saw the evidence of own his spent passion dripping down his belly. His tired breaths eventually slowed and with a great deal of effort, he looked up at the pale creature still leaning over him.

Richter managed a warm smile at the wondrous creature leaning over him. His lips parted as he tried to speak, but the hunter could not find his voice. A soft, content moan was all Belmont could manage before his sudden drowsiness overtook him like a powerful sleeping spell.

Alucard's golden eyes widened with concern and fear as he watched the mortal below him. His throat ran dry as the hunters eyelids fluttered closed and his body relaxed. He panicked, suddenly fearing the worst. _I must get him out of here!_

* * *

Richter rolled onto his back and yawned as the sounds of the forest birds roused him from his sleep. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled when he was greeted by the sight of the bright sun overhead. He suddenly sat up however, when the memory of recent events dawned on him.

The hunter looked around with a bewildered look on his face, unsure of how he made it outside. His gaze soon fell on the nearby collapsed cave where he had been trapped with Alucard. It was obvious to him now that the dhampire had been successful in tunneling his way out of the ancient vault; however the half-blood was nowhere to be seen. It was then that he realized he was still naked and that the only thing between his body and the ground beneath him was Alucard's cloak.

Belmont stood up, holding the soft fabric of the vampire's cape closely against his body. His heart sank as he tried to sort through everything that had happened_. _There was only one man, one creature, who could answer his many questions.

END OF CHAPTER III

* * *

May, 2013 – This is no longer and abandoned story; I am working on it.


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